Article handling apparatus



July 5, 1966 M. P. PERATIS 3,

ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5, 1965 I9. .1 3\ 34 TO VIBRATOR //V VE/V 70 5 MICHAEL P. PEEAT/.

Char/Q 5L A TTO/PNE Y5 3,259,226 ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Michael P. Peratis, Inglewood, Califl, assignor to Ampex Corporation, Culver City, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 430,547 3 Claims. (Cl. 198-33) This invention relates generally to apparatus for handling small articles such as magnetic cores.

Great strides have been made in recent years in reducing the size of components used in modern electronic equipment. Although component miniaturization has eliminated many problems with respect to packaging, transporting, etc., new problems, e.g. that of handling small discrete components, has arisen.

To be more specific, consider the problems encountered in handling magnetic cores commonly utilized in digital computer memories. Inasmuch as these cores are utilized in great quantities, it is essential that rapid means he available for counting and testing them. Thus, prior art apparatus is available which is capable of testing the electric and magnetic characteristics of approximately 600 cores per minute. Essentially, such apparatus operates by causing the cores to be fed one at a time through an open-ended chute to a reciprocally moving finger mechanism which picks up the cores in sequence and places each core between a pair of electrical contacts. A probe pierces the core and rests between the contacts. The contacts then close on the probe and perform appropriate electric and magnetic tests after which the contacts open, thereby dropping the core into an entrance opening of a separating device positioned therebeneath.

The prior art apparatus most frequently used for feeding cores one at a time usually consists of a horizontally disposed bowl having a spiral ledge formed on the inner side of the bowl wall. The bowl is mechanically coupled to some type of vibrator. Magnetic cores are deposited in the bowl and in response to the bowl being vibrated, the cores tend to walk up the spiral ledge. Coupled to the bowl at theuppermost portion of the ledge is a curved chute into which the cores fall. The chute has dimensions which are sufficiently small so that the cores falling therein of necessity queue up.

Although prior art core feeding apparatus of this type is rather extensively used, it has certain undesirable functional characteristics. More particularly, since each core is moved along the spiral ledge partially by being so urged by the cores behind it, the apparatus is usually unable to feed the last several cores in a load. Where very small cores are being handled, the last several can be as great as several hundred cores. Also, the maximum rate at which a typical core feeding apparatus of this type, using a curved chute, can be operated is approximately 600 cores per minute.

Thus, in view of the shortcomings of known core feeding devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is capable of feeding cores at a faster rate than has heretofore been possible and which, in addition, will feed substantially all of the cores in a load.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, an apparatus is provided in which the core receptacle is effectively vertically positioned so that a vertical, rather than a curved chute, can be employed. As a consequence, cores can be fed at a considerably higher rate than has heretofore been possible.

More specifically, an apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a core receiving receptacle comprised of a core storage portion and a core orienting portion. The cores storage portion includes a surface which slopes downwardly to the core orienting portion. Thus,

United States Patent when the apparatus is vibrated, the storage surface will direct cores deposited thereon into the orienting portion. One dimension of the orienting portion is less than the diameter of the cores being handled and only slightly greater than their thickness so that all of the cores in the orienting portion will all necessarily lie flat in the same substantially vertical plane. An opening having respective cross-sectional dimensions substantially equal to the thickness and diameter of a core is formed in the bottom of the orienting portion. The opening communicates with an open-ended chute having a similarly dimensioned cross-section.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself both as to its organization and method of operation, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Attention is now called to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention comprising a block .10 preferably formed of a nonmagnetic metal or plastic material. The block .10 defines top and bottom surfaces 12 and 14 and front and rear surfaces 16 and 18. The front surface '16 of the block 10 is preferably machined to form surface 20 which is substantially U-shaped as shown in FIGURE 1 and slopes forlwardly as shown in FIGURE 2. To facilitate the machining of surface 20, a surface 22 extending perpendicularly thereto can be formed. The surfaces 20 and 22 thus define a recess 24 extending into the block 10 through surface 16. The front surface 16 'below the recess 24 is also machined to define a vertically extending U-shaped relieved surface portion 25 and a corresponding ledge 26 immediately below and forward of the front edge of the sunface 20. The extent to which surface portion 25 is relieved and thus the thickness of ledge 26 is made slightly larger than the thickness of magnetic cores to -be handled. A channel 28 is formed in the front surface 16 at the center of the bight portion of the U-shaped ledge 26. The channel 28 has a thickness equal to that of the ledge 26 and a width slightly larger than the outer diameter of cores to be handled. In addition, a core supply chute 30 is formed in the block 10 which chute provides access to the recess 24 from the top surface 12 of the block 10. A cover plate 31 is mounted on the top surface 12 to normally cover the chute 30 and prevent dust and dirt from entering the recess 24.

A transparent face plate 32 is secured to the front surface 16 of the block 10 to thus close the recess 24 and define a core storage receptacle adjacent the recess and a core orienting receptacle between the surface 25 and the face plate 32.

The block 10 is secured to a mechanical vibrator (not shown) by an arm 34. In addition, a vertically extending chute 36 is clamped to the bottom surface 14 of the block 10 in alignment with the channel 28. The chute 36 defines an inner core passageway 38 'having crosssectional dimensions substantially identical to those of the channel 28. The chute 36 is clamped at its end remote from the block 10, eg within a testing apparatus 4h. The testing apparatus 40 can for example be housed in an environmental temperature chamber with the chute 36 extending from outside to within the chamber. The

3 chute 36 should be sufiiciently long so that it does not substantially impede vibration of the block 10.

In the utilization of the apparatus of FIGURES 1 and 2, a load of cores is dumped through the supply chute 30 into the core storage receptacle in the recess 24. Vibration of the block '10 will cause the cores on the surface 20 to move into the core orienting receptacle defined above the ledge 26. Inasmuch as the space defined between the face plate 32 and relieved portion 25 immediately beneath the recess 24 has a thickness less than the diameter of the cores and only slightly greater than the thickness of the cores, the cores will orient themselves on the ledge 26 in a common vertical plane. As a consequence of the vibration and the shape of the U-shaped ledge 26, the cores on the ledge will be -fed singly into the chute 36.

In order to prevent the cores from getting wedged between the face plate 32 and the surface portion 25 and thus locking up the core flow, care should be taken to amure that a sharp edge is defined between the surfaces 25 and 20. Use of a U-shaped ledge 26, rather than for example a V-shape, also tends to assure that the cores will not get wedged together adjacent the channel 28.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 in which a much larger orienting portion is defined with a correspondingly smaller storage portion being provided. Thus, tor a similarly dimensioned block, the apparatus of FIGURE 1 will accept a larger core load.

The embodiment of FIGURES 3 and 4 includes a block 50 whose front face :52 is machined to thus define a U- shaped recess 54 having a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the cores being handled. A channel 56 having a thickness equal to that of the recess 54 and a width equal to the outer diameter of the cores being handled is defined in the front surface 52 adjacent the bottom of the bight portion of the recess 54. The upper surface 58 of the block 50 is machined to define a supply chute opening 60 therein which communicates with a bottom surface 62 which is sloped toward the U-sbaped recess 54. V

The embodiment of FIGURES 3 and 4 is secured to a vibrator and a chute in the same manner as was discussed in regard to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2.

From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that an apparatus has been disclosed herein for orienting and feeding articles such as magnetic cores one at a time from a load consisting of a very great number of cores. The apparatus of both FIGURES 1 and 3 is of course intended to be operated in a vertical fashion so that the cores are essentially gravity fed into the orienting portions of both embodiments and then into a vertical chute. It should be appreciated that in both of the embodiments, all of the cores in a load will ultimately be fed into the chute 36, thus making each embodiment more useful than prior art core feeding apparatus. In addition, because the use of a curved chute has been eliminated, cores are fed more rapidly than in prior art devices. Although it has been mentioned for exemplary purposes that the block can be machined to define the various portions illustrated, it should be appreciated that the invention is not at all restricted to the use of any particular fabrication techniques and it is expressly recognized that many various fabrication techniques can be suitably employed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a core handling apparatus, ablock having a recess extending into a vertically disposed front surface thereof; a forwardly and downwardly sloped core storage surface in said recess defining an upper end and a lower end proximate to said front surface; a face plate; means securing said face plate to said vertically disposed front surface opposite to said recess; said vertically disposed front surface having a relieved portion having a dimension substantially equal to the thickness of one of said cores and extending from said lower end of said storage surface and terminating in a U-shaped substantially horizontally oriented surface thereby defining a core orienting region between said face plate and said relieved portion; and a discharge opening defined in said core orienting region having respective cross-sectional dimensions substantially equal to the thickness and diameter of said cores.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a supply chute defined in said block in communication with said recess.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for vibrating said block to thereby cause cores on said storage sunf-ace to fall into said orienting region between said face plate and said relieved portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,857,815 5/1932 Laifertz. 2,589,936 3/1952 Habicht 221288 2,696,285 12/1954 Zenlea 221200 2,949,689 8/1960 Vida 19833.1

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

R. M. WALKER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CORE HANDLING APPARATUS, A BLOCK HAVING A RECESS EXTENDING INTO A VERTICALLY DISPOSED FRONT SURFACE THEREOF; A FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY SLOPED CORE STORAGE SURFACE IN SAID RECESS DEFINING AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END PROXIMATE TO SAID FRONT SURFACE; A FACE PLATE; MEANS SECURING SAID FACE PLATE TO SAID VERTICALLY DISPOSED FRONT SURFACE OPPOSITE TO SAID RECESS; SAID VERTICALLY DISPOSED FRONT SURFACE HAVING A RELIEVED PORTION HAVING A DIMENSION SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF ONE OF SAID CORES AND EXTENDING FROM SAID LOWER END OF SAID STORAGE SURFACE 